Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire Survey (CWIQ)

Summary

The World Bank developed the CWIQ survey series as an inexpensive tool to collect information on poverty, including access and satisfaction with social services and social welfare indicators.

The CWIQ survey (known in French and Portuguese as QUIBB) is designed to gather information related to poverty. Generally the surveys contain information related to housing conditions, water and sanitation, education, health care use and access, income and assets. CWIQ surveys often have World Bank funding or technical support, but surveys have been implemented without their direct involvement. Originally, in the 90s, the CWIQ was primarily used in Africa; in the last ten years its use has spread to other regions.

There is no centralized resource for accessing CWIQ surveys, but many of them are listed in the International Household Survey Network (IHSN) central survey catalog. They may also be labeled as household living condition surveys or welfare monitoring surveys. If surveys are known under another name, generally reports indicate if the CWIQ or QUIBB questionnaire was used.

The purpose of the CWIQ is to allow for the production of standardized indicators of poverty and welfare. The core questionnaire is intentionally short; although countries may implement modules in addition to the core module. Traditionally poverty has been assessed through consumer expenditure surveys; the CWIQ is intended to provide a less expensive alternative that can be produced more quickly.